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Objectives and questions: 3x3 basketball is among the fastest-growing disciplines within the Olympic movement. Despite its rapid global expansion and distinct game demands, epidemiological data on injuries and illnesses in elite 3x3 basketball tournaments remain scarce or of limited quality. The aim of this study was to prospectively document the incidence, characteristics, and distribution of injuries and illnesses during a major international 3x3 basketball event.

Material and methods: A prospective injury and illness surveillance was conducted during the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, 3x3 Women’s Series, 3x3 U23 Nations League, and 3x3 Wheelchair Masters 2025, held in Vienna, Austria, from 11 to 14 June 2025. The local organizing committee and the medical teams of the participating nations were kindly asked to record all newly occurred injuries and illnesses on a daily basis using the standardized International Olympic Committee (IOC) Injury/Illness Report Form (IRF). All registered male, female, U23, and wheelchair athletes were included.

Results: A total of 208 athleteswere registered across all tournaments, including 120 male athletes (32 wheelchair athletes) and 88 female athletes. Overall, 32 in-competition injuries were reported, corresponding to an incidence of 15.4 injuries per 100 registered athletes with a mean age of 25.8 ± 4.5 years at the moment of injury. The highest injury incidence could be observed in the FIBA 3x3 World Tour competition and the 3x3 Women’s Series tournament. The most frequently affected body regions were the face/head (n = 11) and lower extremity (n = 11). The predominant injury types were contusions (n = 13) and sprains (n = 8). Most injuries were classified as no–time-loss injuries (n = 21). Two injuries resulted in a time loss of 8–28 days, while for nine injuries the duration of time loss remained unknown. Only one illness was reported during the entire tournament period.

Discussion and conclusions: This is one of the first prospective surveillance studies to provide injury and illness data from a major international 3x3 basketball event. The findings indicate a notable injury burden, particularly involving contact-related injuries to the head/face and lower extremities, while illness incidence appears to be low. These results highlight the need for targeted injury-prevention strategies, improved protective measures, and continued systematic surveillance to enhance athlete health and safety in elite 3x3 basketball.